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Unemployment rate drops in LeFlore County

The majority of Oklahoma reported lowered unemployment rates during August, LeFlore County included.According to a report by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, LeFlore County has been ranked 74 out of Oklahoma's 77 counties in terms of unemployment for August. Only three other counties reported a worse unemployment rate than LeFlore County with Latimer County holding the highest rate across the state. Out of an estimated labor force of 20,486 workers, 18,892 were employed, leaving 1,594 LeFlore County citizens without jobs. Even with high numbers of unemployed workers in the county, the unemployment rate, currently at 7.8 percent was a drop from July's 8.2 percent.The state's highest unemployment rate of 8.9 percent in Latimer County was closely followed by 8.4 percent in McCurtain County.The employment report for the area includeing Poteau, Tahlequah, Sallisaw, Muskogee and Okmulgee, shows that out of a total labor pool of 168,647 workers, 158,137 were employed while 10,510 were without jobs, an unemployment rate of 6.2 percent, slightly decreasing since July. Reporting the lowest unemployment rate for two months in a row was Roger Mills County with an unemployment rate of 2 percent. Ellis County had the second lowest unemployment rate in the state with 2.2 percent and Beckham County rounded out the top three with 2.6 percent. The statewide unemployment rate held steady during August ending at 5.3 percent. The national unemployment rate also improved by 0.1 percent to close out at 7.3 percent.The report states that seven of Oklahoma's 11 statewide job supersectors reported job gains in August, and that these gains counteracted smaller losses reported during the month. The Leisure and Hospitality job supersector reported the largest gain of 1,300 jobs. Over the year, Leisure and Hospitality reported the largest gain by adding more than 8,400 jobs.